Chapter 1
In mid-June of 1916, Thomas Winston, the 16th Earl of Elision, passed away at the relatively young age of 43. The cause of death was a heart attack. At Elision Manor, the curtains were drawn, and wreaths with black ribbons were hung on the front door and main gate. Most of the population in the Queendom was superstitious, so during the mourning period, mirrors were covered with black crepe to prevent the deceased's spirit from being trapped there. The clock was stopped at the time of death to prevent bad luck from continuing.
Thomas Winston left behind his wife and four children as he embarked on his final journey. Fortunately, Thomas had a son as an heir, his eldest child. Unfortunately, Gregori, the eldest son, lacked the wisdom and skill required to be a proper lord. Twenty-six years ago, both Thomas and his wife, Pamella, were overjoyed to have a son as their firstborn, as it meant their lineage was preserved, and there would be a successor for Elision. They wouldn't have to adopt a child from another branch of the family. As a result, the Winston couple somewhat overindulged Gregori.
They only realized their mistake when Gregori was already a full-fledged adult, and the selfishness and arrogance that once seemed cute and endearing in childhood became repulsive. No one laughed or praised Gregori anymore when he pouted and loudly defied his parents' orders in front of many people, because he was no longer two years old. Even after getting married and having his own home, Gregori often spent more time at the Winston manor in Elision, managing things, asking for money, and taking over decisions in the household.
Elaine, the second child and eldest daughter, soon received a marriage proposal after being introduced to society. Although the man who proposed her wasn't very wealthy and wasn't of noble blood, he came from a respectable family. Elaine had a gentle and innocent appearance, but her personality was cold and stern, having always observed how Gregori was favored simply because he was male. Marriage was her escape from a stifling home, so Elaine quickly accepted the proposal. On her 18th birthday, Elaine married Mr. Eoin James, who was clearly infatuated with her. Without taking anything from her room, as if to scorn her parents, Elaine left Elision and never looked back on her way out.
The only ones left in the house were 19-year-old Anastasia, who hated socializing, and the youngest son of the Winston family, Thomas Winston Jr., who was still just six years old.
Anastasia Winston, or Anna as she was commonly called by those close to her, made her social debut at the age of 15. Unlike her older sister, who was skilled at putting on a sweet facade in public, Anna's face was as stiff as a wooden mask. Like her other siblings, Anna inherited golden blonde hair, usually hidden under a hat or the hood of her dress. Her eyes were a clear blue and appeared droopy, with the lashes on her lower eyelids more prominent than those on the upper. Her thin, sharp eyebrows curved steeply, giving her the appearance of being perpetually angry. Even when she was simply sitting quietly without thinking of anything, people often assumed that Anna was in a bad mood.
People who tried to befriend her, thinking they could soften the heart of the second unmarried daughter of Earl Winston, often found themselves in awkward, dead-end conversations. Anna was not skilled at keeping conversations going, nor did she ever try. Talking with her felt like interrogating someone uninterested in chatting. Her behavior had frequently drawn reprimands from both Mr. and Mrs. Winston, but Anna never paid them any mind. The dwindling number of invitations she received didn't bother her either, as her heart had long been set on her childhood friend, Lloyd Elspeth.
Lloyd was a year older than Anna, tall with beautiful black hair, and had a broad knowledge base that made their conversations endless. They were separated when Lloyd had to attend school in the capital, but they maintained regular communication through letters and telegrams. He was studying to become a doctor, a noble profession in Anna's eyes, but Mrs. Winston had a different opinion. To Pamella Winston, doctors were no different from charlatans who sold expensive and dangerous substances. She trusted more in herbal remedies from local healers and heartfelt prayers according to their religion.
What comforted Anna was that her father did not oppose her relationship with Lloyd, even though he didn’t openly give his blessing. Thomas Winston might not have been the best father, but after Elaine left, he seemed to realize that he had been unfair to his other children. As a form of atonement, he became more lenient in granting Anna and Thomas Jr.'s wishes and protected them from Gregori's unreasonable decisions, such as when Gregori wanted to renovate Anna's room to turn it into a private gallery.
When Thomas Winston passed away, Anna began to realize that she had lost the only person who was on her side. Her mother, Pamella Winston, wasted no time in arranging her marriage to Denver Eldreth, a man they had only known for a week.
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